Last week Walt Rodabaugh, chief officer of the Genesee County animal control department, halted the volunteer program at the county's shelter, one of the busiest in the state, because of legal, union and risk-management concerns.

At Wednesday’s County Board of Commissioners meeting, he added "employees' concerns of safety" to his reasons.

If true, these sorts of behaviors are childish and need to end. Did some employees actually feel threatened by them? Who knows, but the escalating rhetoric is unacceptable and counterproductive.

The goal of everyone who works at the shelter, whether as a union employee or an unpaid volunteer, needs to be the welfare of the animals. After all, Genesee County has one of the highest kill rates of any shelter in the state.

In 2008, the shelter could afford to employ 13 workers. Today, it has just seven. Hence the desperate need for volunteers to do such things as walk, socialize and help market the animals for adoption.

We have little doubt union workers are concerned for their jobs and do not want to see the tasks they perform done by volunteers. To that end, Rodabaugh is right about the need for written guidelines and procedures concerning volunteers.

For the sake of the animals, spell out clearly what volunteers may and may not do. Work with the union to come up with a realistic list of duties. If animals are sitting in feces-strewn cages because workers have too many duties to get them all done, then the union should allow for some flexibility. Again, the animals should be the priority here.

Meanwhile, any concerns or complaints from either side should be addressed in a mature, professional fashion.

The county may lack the financial resources to hire more shelter workers, but it is fortunate to have volunteers who are willing and able to pick up the slack because they love animals and want to see as many as possible placed in good homes.

So, get those guidelines in place and get the volunteers back at the shelter as quickly as possible.